Hong Kong’s Unfinished Quest for Democracy
<p>To understand the gravity of the current state of affairs in Hong Kong, one must rewind the tape back to the 19th century. From acquiring Hong Kong Island in 1842 to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860, and then leasing the New Territories in 1898, the British knew they were sitting on a crown jewel. Over time, the city-state transformed into an oasis of capitalism and democratic values in an otherwise autocratic region.</p>
<p>However, as the clock neared midnight on the 99-year lease of the New Territories, both the British and the Chinese governments found themselves at a crossroads. The Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984, sealed after intense negotiations, was heralded as a triumph of diplomacy. It promised to maintain the “one country, two systems” framework, assuring Hong Kong of a high degree of autonomy for 50 years post-handover.</p>
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